Little Dutch Man
by Katie Sparrow
Summary: After the events in Secret Window.Mort meets a young woman who makes him doubt about his sanity once again.Sorry about the sumary,please review.
1. Time goes by

_Ok,the story's name is kinda weird and maybe I'll change it later,but for now,I hope you like it,and help with some stuff,'cause I'm actually brazilian,and the little I know of English I'm using to write this story,so read and ,please review!_

_Disclaimer:Mort doesn't belong to me (Bugger!)_

* * *

Mort was in shopping in New London,in a small grocery store,which he liked very much,but didn't go often,'cause there was nearest places to shop in Tashmore Lake,but now,he was "forbidden"to show up around there.

He spotted a girl,actually a "girly woman",to be more precise,she was wearing a red blouse and a short jeans skirt and small boot,who didn't go further then her ancles.She looked very concentrated to the shelters,and started walking away,still distracted and turned a hallway ,he went to the parallel hallway,but by the end of it,he didn't find her.

He looked both side and shook his head,walking to the register.There was Mr.Wallace, a fat and tall guy,wearing a white shirt and suspenders,and talking happily to a customer.

"Thank for shopping,Miss Rachel!"Wallace said,waving his hand,the woman turned smiling and waved back,while walking to the door. "Mr.Rainey!It's been so long!"

Mort was surprised by how nice the man was being,he looked at him smiling,and for what he could see,it wasn't a fake smile.He took a while to respond,but finally smiled and walked towards the counter,putting his stuff on it.

"Yeah I…been having some problems lately"Mort answered and the man looked back at him a little bit more serious

"You wanna know something?" The man approached him"I think that's all a bunch of crap"He said in a lower voice and then laughed "I know you Mr.Rainey,you'd never do something like that…I remember the very first day I saw you here…with your wife…"The man turned serious again,trying to find a way to change the subject,while registering his shopping.

"Hey,dad,how much is that?"A girly voice yelled,and then the girl approached,holding a little bag of candy.It was the girl from the hallway.

"_Dad?She's Wallace's daughter?!Wait a second,I don't remember knowing anyone as his daughter…"_

"Oh,I'm sorry,did I interrupt?"She said looking from Mort to Wallace with an apologies look.

"No,honey,there's no problem at all…"Wallace said,opening a big smile,as only a proud dad could give his little child "let me check this…"

He took the bag from her hands and dialed some numbers on the register machine.While that,Mort could take a better look at the girl.She had shoulder length curly black hair,and tiny dark eyes,which Mort realized,were sending him a significant look,and she had a small smile in her full lips,covered with lip gloss,which he could feel,that smelled like strawberry.

"That's U$1,25,sweetie"Wallace said delivering the candy bag back to the girl,who took it,still looking at Mort.

"Thanks,dad"She said and stood there.Wallace looked from her to Mort and then suddenly started apologizing.

"oh,sorry,that's so rude of me.Mr.Rainey,this is my daughter,Naima.Naima,honey,this is Mr.Mort Rainey,he's a very famous writer"The man seemed pretty excited when saying this last words,Mort opened a small smile,and reached the hand to her,she took it,opening a big,yet,childish,smile.

"Nice to meet you,sir"She said.

"It is my pleasure,Miss Wallace….Mr.Wallace,I don't really remember seeing her around here…"Mort said,making an effort to remember her.

"Well,that's 'cause,after you started to shop here again,she was in her school period and before…I guess you only saw her a few times…but it really makes a long time.The only time I remember you saw her she was around…3."

"3?!"Mort asked,finally looking away from the girl to Wallace."Three years old?"

"Yeah…time went by and look at her,now"Wallace said.

"_I met her when she was three?!How old is she now,for God's sake?"_Mort couldn't stop feeling that weird thing _"Am I getting old?"_

"How old are you?"Mort asked intrigued to the girl.

"Fifteen"She said,taking a little candy out of the bag.

"Oh,then that's it…In thought 20 years have passed by and I didn't realize…"Mort said laughing and Wallace and Naima laughed along.

"Like Rip Van Winkle" Naima said.

"Pardon?"Mort asked.

"You know,the tale,Rip Van Winkle."She said.

"Oh,sure…that's pretty much like him I felt right now"Mort laughed and Naima too.

"Well,Mr.Rainey,it's U$ 25,43"Wallace said distracted,looking at the register.

"Ok.."Mort said,taking the money out the wallet,and putting it on the counter.Every move he made,he felt like the girl was staring at him,but he looked at her,she was profoundly distracted with her candy.

"_Am I wanting her to look at me?God,she's a teenager…How can a teenager look like that?!"_

"Right,Mr.Rainey,thanks for stopping by…."He looked at the bags "I think you'll need some help with it,right?"He asked with a smile,Mort nodded and grabbed some bags,so did Wallace.They left and took the bags inside the car.

"Thanks."Mort said as Wallace handed him the last bag "And congratulations…you have a beautiful daughter"Mort said,hoping that the word beautiful didn't sound so suspicious to her father as it sounded to himself after he said.

"Thank you very much,Mr.Rainey!She's really precious…she took all the beauty in the family to herself…She'll be a beautiful woman someday…"

"_Someday?Is he blind?…she's already a woman…is she?Or am I seeing things?"_

"Well,I'm sure she will really…thanks for the help Mr.Wallace,see you next time"Mort said getting inside the car.

"'Til next time,Mr.Rainey"Wallace said as Mort turned the car on and left the parking lot.

Just when he turned around to wave at Mr.Wallace,Naima rushed out the shop's dor,a lollipop in her hand.

"Be careful with little men in dutch outfits,Mr.Rainey!"She yelled at him with a smile,and the childish air still upon her.

Mort smiled,knowing she talked about the tale,and waved at her,she waved back,and placed the lollipop back in her mouth.

Mort drove back to the his house in Tashmore Lake,drown in thoughts.

"_She's just a child…when I saw her,she looked like a woman…but…she's only fifteen…she's a child in a woman's body…"_

"_And you're attracted to her…"_Mort heard the other voice echo inside his head,and felt confused.

"_Am I really?Attracted to a child like her?"_Mort caught himself waiting for an answer,but the voice inside his head didn't show up anymore.

* * *

Rip Van Winkle:The story is set in the years before and after the American Revolutionary War. Rip Van Winkle, a villager of Dutch descent, lives in a nice village at the foot of New York's Catskill Mountains. An amiable man whose home and farm suffer from his lazy neglect, he is loved by all except the one person who matters to him, his wife. He escapes his nagging wife by wandering up the mountains. After an adventure playing nine-pins with some weird little men dressed in weird dutch costumes, and sharing their liquor, he settles down under a shady tree and falls asleep. He wakes up twenty years later and returns to his village. He finds out that his wife is dead and his close friends have died in a war or gone somewhere else. 


	2. I'm not stalking

Later that day,Mort woke up from a long sleep he started after arriving home from New London,in attempt to clear his thoughts.

He then heard a noise around his house,and saw a weird light coming from outside.He got up quickly and walked slowly to the front door,grabbing his flashlight in the way.

He opened the door,and then looked back inside the house,to his fireplace,thinking he should have picked up a fire poker in case of being someone dangerous.

"Who's there?"He screamed and saw the light turning to his side,it was probably coming from an oil lamp which he thought weird.

Then he realized it was walking towards him,it was someone shorter then him,and kept coming closer.

"Who are you?"Mort asked,angry.

"Don't worry about me,sir" Said a feminine voice,with a dutch accent,probably fake "I'm from Netherlands and I got lost into these woods"Naima showed up with a smile "Could would give me shelter in trade for some beer?"

"No,I really don't think so" Mort answered smiling "What are you doing around here?"

"I'm camping with my friends in the woods…"She answered approaching him.

"But you're alone here…"He said putting his head out of the door and looking around "Got lost?"

"No,actually,we found out that living without electricity is not as easy as we thought so…We split to find something helpful…could you give me a hand?"

"Yeah,sure,what do you need?"

"Matches would be _really_ good"She said with a pleading smile.

"Come in,I'll get it for you"He said walking away so she could come in.

"Oh it's cozy and warm in here!"She said in a lament tone and Mort laughed.

"But it must be quit more fun out there,with your friends"Mort said laughing and walking to the kitchen to get the matches.

"Yeah…they're a bunch of crazy teenagers,actually…but I think that's why it's so fun"Naima said and Mort came form the kitchen handing her the matches.

"Enjoy while you can…once you're old and tired like me…"

"Thank you very much but I have to disagree with you Mr.Rainey"Naima interrupted him and he looked at her curious "You're not old at all."

"Oh,you're just too sweet _and_ polite to tell me otherwise"Mort said walking her to the door.

"No,I mean it."Naima said walking out of the door,Mort by the door "You look….great,Mr.Rainey"

"Well,Miss Wallace.When you say that and call Mr.Rainey right after it's kinda contradictory"

"Can I call you Mort, then?"

"Sure."

"Call me Naima then."

"Ok…Naima.Good night then."He said as she walked away.

"Good night,Mr…Mort"She said laughing,embarrassed while walking away and waving.

Mort watched her as she walked into the woods,and then closed the door.

He walked back to the couch and before sitting looked at himself in the mirror.He had the most foolish,amazed smile on his face.He shook his head,feeling a fool,because giggles and crushes are usual to teenagers but not to grown men like him.

He sat on the couch,and ran his trough his hair,laying down looking at ceiling.

"She's quite babe isn't she? "Said a voice in his hand.

"Yeah,really a _babe_,she's only a child,for God's sake"Mort answered to himself.

"But you don't look at her like 'she's only a child ' "Mort was silent now,thinking.He really had been having some unappropriated thoughts about Naima.He remembered when he saw her,walking away..No,he couldn't think about that,it'd only be another argument for whoever was talking inside his head,but it was too late,the voice spoke again "Especially when she has her _back_ turned to you"

The words brought back the memory of Naima,walking back to the woods,his wandering trough the shape of her body,her hips,her legs… "She's doesn't look much like a child does she?"

"But _she is_ a child.The way she talks,acts…"the voice interrupted him.

"You'd really preferred if she acted otherwise wouldn't you?'The voice said,and right in that second,the sight of Naima coming inside the chalet,with a malicious smile,unzipping her jacket,walking towards him,showed up in front of his eyes.

He sat down,scared,and Naima sat in the border of the couch,leading her hands to his robe.

"Naima,you…"Mort said but she kept approaching her face to his.

"I'm just a child,yeah,right,see if I care"Naima said taking one of her legs to Mort's side,and sitting in his lap,she started kissing his neck.Mort closed his eyes,feeling her so close to him.and then opened it quickly.

"We can't do that."Mort said trying to push her away.

"Tell me you don't want it…and I stop"She said and kept on kissing his neck.

"I can't do…"He started but she interrupted him,stopped kissing him and stood face to face with him.

"You can't…but do you want it?" She asked,Mort focused himself,and sighed.

"No" He answered.

"Then you won't have it" Naima voice echoed all around the room but she had disappeared.

Mort looked around confused,and there was no sign of her.He got up and ran to the mirror,there were no marks of lipstick or anything else in his neck.He stood there for a while,and then pulled his robe close to his nose.There was a vague sweet smell,he figured it was hers.

"How can it be?She has never touched you before,_Mr.Rainey_"

"Oh,you better shut up"Mort said,heading back to the couch,and laying down,decided to leave this subject behind.

* * *

A few days later Mort got back to New London,not even he knew why,he woke up one morning,put his bonnet on and left in his car.

While riding trough the town,something called his attention,a group of teenagers,probably in school's out.Boys all dressed in long sleeved shirt and long pants,and ties.Girls in short skirts and white shirts,and long socks.Mort was surprised that there were still schools like that.

Then,in the middle of a group of girls,giggling and talking,was Naima.

"Now,there's the reason why we're here…" The voice said.

"I didn't know she would be here" Mort said.

"Well,she lives here,she's a teenager,then she studies,so to find her,you just had to look for the whole town for a school,until you found her,and that's exactly what you did."

Mort stopped the car,away from the school,but it was still in his sight.

"Now,you'll stalk the girl,that's a good start"The voice said sarcastically.

"I'm not stalking…I'm just…thinking" Mort said without taking his eyes of the school.

"Yeah…thinking…about how you'll take the her to your bed"

"I'm not thinking about that!I'd never think that…"

"But you are thinking about her"

"Maybe…"

"Maybe…you should go there and talk to her"A voice coming from the passenger's seat,Mort turned around and saw a young man standing outside his car.

"Who are you?"Mort asked,the boy smiled and answered.

"I'm Naima's cousin,Alfred"


End file.
